Main Entry:

¹sure

Pronunciation:

\ˈshu̇r, especially Southern ˈshȯr\

Function:

adjective

Inflected Form(s):

sur·er; sur·est

Etymology:

Middle English seur, sure, from Anglo-French seur, from Latin securus secure

Date:

13th century

1obsolete : safe from danger or harm2: firmly established : steadfast <a sure hold>3: reliable, trustworthy <a sure friend>4 a: marked by or given to feelings of confident certainty <I'm sure I'm right> b: characterized by a lack of wavering or hesitation <sure brush strokes> <a sure hand>5: admitting of no doubt : indisputable <spoke from sure knowledge>6 a: bound to happen : inevitable <sure disaster> b: bound, destined <is sure to win>7: careful to remember, attend to, or find out something <be sure to lock the door>

— sure·ness noun

— for sure

: without doubt or question : certainly

— to be sure

: it must be acknowledged : admittedly

synonyms sure, certain, positive, cocksure mean having no doubt or uncertainty. sure usually stresses the subjective or intuitive feeling of assurance <felt sure that I had forgotten something>. certain may apply to a basing of a conclusion or conviction on definite grounds or indubitable evidence <police are certain about the cause of the fire>. positive intensifies sureness or certainty and may imply opinionated conviction or forceful expression of it <I'm positive that's the person I saw>. cocksure implies presumptuous or careless positiveness <you're always so cocksure about everything>.